Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella
Chapter 29

Raf had been surprised to hear me say out of nowhere that I wanted to move out, but she never resented me once for not disclosing it to her first. She was too worried about finding a good place for me to move to worry about why I wouldn't tell her right away about my plans, and I was more grateful than ever for such an amazing best friend. From that day, she made it her mission to hunt down the perfect place, sifting through countless real estate options for the one that would be right for me.

If only I had been exposed to this kind of thing before, I might have been able to handle looking for a place of my own armed with at least a little experience, but looking through the listings overwhelmed me. And those were just the ones that Raf sent, not the real estate market sites themselves. How much more swamped would I have been without her?

With my budget, I could have only afforded a small place anyway, but Raf assured me that most university students either dormed or rented a place big enough for only themselves anyway, no need for guest rooms or anything fancy. One bedroom, one bathroom, and a decent-sized kitchen so I could cook for myself, those were the essentials.

I did mention that I wanted to have a private plot I could make a garden in, but Raf was honest with me and warned me it might not be possible. But at the very least, she could ensure there would be a community garden nearby I could use a corner of, and that actually helped to narrow down the immense list of potential places to look at.

The most startling thing of all, however, was when she suggested going to a house instead. There were tiny places dotted all over the city, and only looking at apartments almost nixed any possibility of having a safe garden to myself. But a house! In the city, no less! That would be so expensive, and I didn't even have a job yet. I had an anticipated budget for when I did start working or earning, but it was so small I could hardly imagine getting anything better than a small apartment.

But Raf insisted, and she made me promise I would go to see at least one place every day. She would pick me up and we would go together, and between the two of us, we were sure to find the perfect place.

I felt bad for her taking so much time out of her day just to drive around with me, especially when it was only for my benefit, but she shushed me and threatened to make me look at two listings every day instead of just one if I said any more nonsense. "This place isn't super clear with its photos," she said on the third day as she squinted at her phone. "But the color is cute. Orange on the outside. Well, like a soft, pastel shade. Trust me, it looks better than it sounds. Take a look."

I leaned over as she scrolled through the specifications and pictures, and indeed, although I had balked at the mention of an orange-painted exterior, the tiny house was charming, not ostentatious. A small wraparound porch framed the front of the house, compact and neat, and a little bench swing sat behind the railing. I could already imagine sitting in it and admiring the front yard, which had a bricked setting for a garden as well.

Oh! How lovely. I zoomed in on the graceful fountain that sat in the middle of the garden, and the photograph had managed to capture a few cardinals taking baths in the glistening spray. I smiled, and Raf rolled her eyes at how spellbound I became. "All right, all right, that's enough," she said. "But I told you, didn't I? And it's got exactly what we need. The kitchen is a little smaller than I'd hoped, but I don't think we'll get a better deal than this. The homeowners are desperate to sell because they've already picked out a bigger house in the city, and they have a baby on the way. Cute couple, young and they were going to settle in for a while, but the pregnancy was unexpected. She's ready to pop so they need to get rid of this place pronto. Which is good for us!" "They already have so many herbs planted here," I said as I roamed more pictures of the garden. "There's space for my cuttings too, though."

"Oh, my fine, fine, yes, the garden is great. You're probably gonna end up sleeping in it, aren't you?"

We laughed as she pulled the car out of the parking spot.

***

It was even more beautiful in person than it was in the photographs. I went starry-eyed, running my fingers along the little columns that framed the porch steps, feeling the gentle smoothness of fresh-painted wood and all the love that had gone into keeping this place in good shape. I might repaint this place later on, but for now, the cute colors had stolen my heart and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Even the goldfish-painted mailbox made me want to tear up.

"They even have a trail that leads into the forest in the backyard," I said. "It's a bit of a long walk to the actual woods, but there are enough trees to make it feel natural and outdoorsy on the way there. I love it. I love all of it." "Oh, so it's not just the garden you're going to be fantasizing over, huh?"

I smiled shyly and shrugged. "Well... Now that my wolf can come out, I want to be able to go on my morning runs, too. Oh, Raf! I want to get this house. I want it. But I have no idea if I'll even qualify for a mortgage, I don't have a credit history to speak of!" "We'll think of something. If we have to, I'll undersign and you can leave all of that to me. My credit score is freaking great because Leon is so anal about me making my payments on time." She giggled and threw her arm around my shoulders. "Look at you! You're so excited. I love it!"

"I love this place. I want it so much."

"I think it's perfect for you. The moment I saw it, I knew. Come on, let's talk to the owners again. I think we can come to a solid agreement. Let's get you in this house!"

***

When I used my bank cards to check how much Evan had given me back when I first moved in - "spending money" - my jaw dropped. I stared at my phone screen, frozen in shock at the numbers that popped up under the account information. I'd felt bad already for delving into this money even if everyone had insisted it was now mine to spend as I wished, but this much... It would be a crime. I didn't dare.

"What is it? What's wrong!" Raf snatched my phone from my drooping hands to look for herself. Her reaction, however, was a far cry from mine. Although she was just as shocked as I was, her first reaction was to let out a crazed whoop of celebration. "I knew it! Loaded people are the best. This place was already crazy cheap, but if you use all of this as a down payment and hand it over in straight cash, they might even cut it in half again! Baby, remember? They want the green!"

She was right. The couple were even more excited than Raf to negotiate now that they could look forward to an immediate lump sum on the table.

But... it was so much money. I checked the records, and it seemed that even though I hadn't spent anything but a couple hundred dollars on food and gas over the course of the weeks that I had spent in the Scarlet pack, Evan had been making constant and increasing deposits. It was as if he had been challenging me to spend it all, and all this time I hadn't known a thing.

Could I really use it? Would Evan demand the money back if I used it all too fast?

Raf and I walked out of the house a few hours later with the signed agreement in my hands. I would owe monthly payments for a while, but that down payment in pure cash had indeed made the price plummet. I could afford the payments as long as I found a job right away. By the time I got back to the Scarlet manor, my head had flown off into the clouds as I fantasized about tending to my plants to my content in front of my very own house...

Evan was away and would not return for days yet. I would be able to come up with a plan to earn money both for the monthly payments but also to pay Evan back. The money might have been a gift, but it still felt wrong to use it. I would pay him back over time and put my conscience to rest.

Packing my things took no time at all. I had no interest in taking all of these luxuries with me, and when the housekeeper stopped me with wide eyes in the doorway, I excused myself with a lie:

"I let Alpha Evan know that I'm moving out," I said. "He said he was too busy to help me get sorted, but I'm moving my things there ahead of time. Thank you for everything."